Daily Maverick
Dailymaverick logo

Maverick News

Maverick News

Unplugged — the rise of phone-free classrooms

Unplugged — the rise of phone-free classrooms
Takudzwa Pongweni
By Takudzwa Pongweni
22 Jan 2025
Facebook
31
In an age where screen time dominates, some schools are fighting back—by banning phones in the classroom altogether. From innovative lock-away systems like Yondr to stricter policies, here’s why schools are opting to unplug in the name of better learning.

There’s a growing movement towards limiting phone use in classrooms to enhance focus and student wellbeing, with many schools worldwide embracing a phone-free environment. In South Africa, this shift is gaining momentum as schools and parents increasingly recognise the negative impact of smartphones on attention, social skills and mental health.

An example is the Yondr program, already used in more than 3,000 schools globally and adopted by Cape Town’s South African College High School (Sacs) this year. The system requires students to store their phones in locked pouches during school hours.

Upon arrival, students place their phones in an assigned Yondr pouch, which is sealed and stored in their locker or carried. At the end of the day, they tap the pouch on an unlock base to retrieve their phones. In case of emergency, parents can contact students through the main reception office. Phones found outside the pouches are confiscated for 10 days and the student receives detention.

When Daily Maverick surveyed high school students, opinions were mixed. Many cited using phones for music, staying in touch with parents and accessing schoolwork. However, many also recognised the need for limits on phone use to avoid distractions.

A 15-year-old Grade 10 student, who requested to remain anonymous, argued that banning smartphones for the entire day was an overreaction. She said she frequently used her phone to complete school assignments, calling it “an integral part of education”. 

Teachers and parents weigh in 


Implementing and enforcing cellphone bans can be challenging, with teachers often responsible for ensuring compliance. Some students need phones for safety reasons, such as walking home alone, and parents may have different expectations about staying in contact.

A Grade 9 teacher from the Western Cape who asked to remain anonymous shared her experience with a classroom phone ban, noting little impact despite requiring students to store their phones in pouches. The teacher also emphasised that schools should consider other outcomes beyond academic measures when making policies on cellphones and include factors such as discipline and school culture, which can play a significant role in student wellbeing.

Parent Alice Botha supports a phone-free policy, believing it benefits students’ academic focus and social skills. She argues that phones at school create problems, with children making plans and contacting others without their parents’ knowledge or approval. She supports the idea of allowing phone use during break time and after school, but feels that limiting phone access during school hours will help students focus more on their studies, rather than being distracted by social media.

Parent Smarkey Matlou shares similar sentiments, emphasising that students can focus better on their schoolwork and engage more personally with their peers. She believes that locking away phones will encourage better discipline during school hours. Matlou fully supports schools implementing phone-free policies, seeing them as a way to instil discipline in students. 

Smartphone Free Childhood South Africa (SFC) is gaining traction as parents across the country push for a ban on smartphones in schools. The initiative aims to delay children’s exposure to social media and mobile devices. Co-founder of SFC Kate Farina said they launched a digital parent pack to help parents delay giving their children smartphones until high school. Once 10 parents sign the pact, it is “unlocked,” and they are introduced to one another to create a supportive community.

Farina said she was not in favour of Yondr pouches, preferring traditional lockers for budgetary reasons and said that even when phones were locked away, their mere presence could distract students.

She noted that this year began with a surge of schools announcing they were going phone-free. St John’s College in Johannesburg, Jeppe Boys High, St Stithians and St Cyprian’s School in Cape Town were among those joining the movement. Many schools are now embracing the research showing the benefits of phone-free academic time.

The Wykeham Collegiate in Pietermaritzburg has been phone free for more than a decade and implements staggered phone access based on the age of the students, even restricting phone use in the afternoons to ensure extracurricular activities aren’t disrupted.

“It is so that the learners are spending interpersonal time, learning all those skills, body language, looking into each other’s eyes, having that real interpersonal connection, rather than all sitting in big groups on their phones because connectivity does not actually equate to connection,” said Farina 

“I think in our society, the pros of having phone-free academic days far outweigh the cons”.

The case for cellphone bans


With growing public concern over cellphone and social media use among adolescents, evidence indicates that increased smartphone use is linked to lower happiness and life satisfaction among young people.

In 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) called for a global ban on smartphones in classrooms, highlighting distraction and cyberbullying as major challenges to modern education. 

One study found that banning phones boosted test scores among 16-year-olds, equivalent to adding five days to the school year or an extra hour per week. Similar research in Spain and Norway supports these findings. In Spain, grades improved and bullying decreased. In Norway, the ban raised middle school students’ Grade Point Average and their chances of attending academic high schools, while also reducing bullying. 

The Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in Education – noted that even the mere presence of a mobile phone with incoming notifications was enough to cause students to lose focus on their work and that it could take students up to 20 minutes to regain concentration after being distracted.

Research shows that when university students use electronic devices for non-academic purposes during class, it negatively affects exam performance. Though dividing attention doesn’t seem to affect immediate comprehension, it reduces long-term retention, harming performance on unit and final exams. 

In his best-selling book, The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that parents should delay giving their children smartphones and that schools should impose strict limits on their use.

A tool for learning or a distraction?

While the case for bans is strong, others argue that phones can also serve as valuable learning tools with evidence that phones can also enhance engagement and learning. A 2024 study found that college students who took brief phone breaks during class performed better on tests and used their phones less during lectures.

In another study, students reported using their phones for Google searches and calendars during the school day, with many relying on them for homework as well. The study reveals that students primarily use their devices to stay organised—features like calendars, alarms and cameras (for taking photos of notes) are frequently used. 

Growing movement


Several countries, including France, Italy, Portugal, Finland, China and the Netherlands have already implemented national legislation. In contrast, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia support the idea, but have left the decision up to individual states, districts, or schools to determine whether to enforce such a policy.

In South Africa, several schools are addressing smartphone use in classrooms. While many limit phone use during school hours, others, like St Mary’s School Waverley, have adopted stricter measures. The school recently informed parents of its decision to implement a no-phone policy during academic hours, citing concerns about technology’s impact on adolescent development and its commitment to fostering a healthier environment.

“Research has shown that too much screen time, especially on social media and messaging apps, contributes to heightened anxiety, disrupted attention spans and reduced face-to-face social skills,” the school noted.

Last year, Holy Rosary School for Girls in Edenvale successfully completed a 40-day phone-free challenge for grades 1-7 students. Starting in 2025, primary school pupils will no longer be allowed to bring smartphones to school. DM

Categories:

Tags: